Editorial—PRUDENCE
Two young women were living in the same house. Nobody else was living with them. One of the women gave birth to a baby boy, and three days later the other woman gave birth to a baby boy as well. One night while they were all asleep, one of the women rolled over on her baby, and the baby died. The woman then got up and went into the other woman’s room. She saw that her friend was sound asleep, so she took her friend’s live baby and put the dead baby next to her. When this woman woke up in the morning and was about to feed her son, she found a dead baby. When she observed the baby in the light, she knew that the baby was not her son. Anxiously she confronted the other woman about the reality, but the woman talked back to her and said that the live baby was hers. This story is recorded in 1 Kings 3.
To resolve the feud between them, they went to see King Solomon. They told the king different versions of the story and argued back and forth. Both claimed to be the mother of the live baby, but because no eyewitness who could tell the true story of what had happened that night, King Solomon had to make his own decision justly. He asked for a sword, and he ordered, “Cut the [live] baby in half! That way each of you can have part of him” (1 Kings 3:25, CEV).
Immediately, the live baby’s mother screamed and pleaded with the king not to kill her son but to give him to the other woman, who said, “Go ahead and cut him in half. Then neither of us will have the baby” (vs. 26, CEV). Without hesitation, the PRUDENT king knew who the birth mother was and gave the live baby to her.
King Solomon’s judgment became known throughout all of Israel. 1 Kings 3:28 recorded, “Everyone in Israel was amazed when they heard how Solomon had made his decision. They realized that God had given him the wisdom to judge fairly” (CEV). It was a difficult decision to make regarding a human being, but not for King Solomon. What had made him so wise, fair, and just? One night, God appeared to Solomon and asked what He should give to him. Solomon answered, “Give me now wisdom and knowledge” (2 Chron. 1:10, KJV). God’s answer to his request was thrilling, “Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour . . . wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour” (verses 11, 12, KJV). Solomon made the right choice; instead of asking for wealth and prosperity from God, he asked for wisdom.
The dictionary defines “wisdom” or “PRUDENCE” as “the ability to discern what is right from what is wrong.” There is a saying: “Knowledge comes from learning, but wisdom [PRUDENCE] comes from God. This saying is true as King Solomon said, “For the Lord giveth wisdom; out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding” (Prov. 2:6, KJV). Don’t ask for fame and power, don’t ask for wealth and riches, but ask for wisdom (PRUDENCE) from God; those material things will be given after.
Let’s do our best to gain wisdom as written in Proverbs 4:5-7, “Get WISDOM, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake WISDOM, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get WISDOM. Though it cost all you have, get understanding” (NIV). James also emphasized this: “If any of you lack WISDOM, let him ask of God” (James 1:5, KJV).
In this fearful, dreadful, and horrible time because of COVID-19, the PRUDENT King Solomon advised us to “not forsake WISDOM” (Prov. 4:6, NIV). Love WISDOM; she will watch over us.
Be safe and keep healthy!
Hiskia Missah
Editor
